Helmut Lang Is Blasé About Shredding His Entire Clothing Archive

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After leaving his namesake fashion brand in 2005, designer Helmut Lang is about to debut his first major art show this week at the Sperone Westwater Gallery in NYC. But Lang's second career has a very tangible connection to his first career. According to the WSJ Magazine, Lang destroyed the 6,000 to 8,000 pieces of clothing in his archive that survived a 2010 fire and then used the "fabric confetti" in his art. "That all got shredded with an industrial shredder without hierarchy. Well, I was very serious about art, and I didn't want to be the goalkeeper of my former legacy. So they had to go," Lang told WSJ Magazine. The resulting pieces are sculptures made out of Lang's shredded clothes, resin, and white pigment.

Lang had always wanted to be an artist, which explains his sudden departure from the fashion world a decade ago. "I had done what I had to do [in fashion]. It was successful and a great experience. I wanted to do more [in art]. I said, If I don't do it now, let it go," he told WSJ Magazine.
· From Fashion to Art: Helmut Lang's Second Act [WSJ Magazine]
· Helmut Lang and Uniqlo Are Collaborating On Sweatpants! [Racked]
· Designers Michael and Nicole Colovos Exit Helmut Lang [Racked]